


Stakeout

by Tortellini



Series: Inktober/Fictober 2k19 [11]
Category: Barry (TV 2018)
Genre: Assassins & Hitmen, Awkward Crush, Awkwardness, Barry Berkman needs a hug, Crush at First Sight, Crushes, Developing Friendships, Drama, Fictober 2019, Flamboyant Character, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Homophobia, Homosexuality, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Inktober 2019, M/M, Male Friendship, Male Homosexuality, Noho Hank is Not Straight, Prison, Prison Tattoos, Psychological Drama, Reluctant Friendship, Russia, Russian Mafia, Slow friendship, Social Anxiety, Stakeout, Tattoos, Wordcount: 500-1.000, discussion of prison
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2021-01-02 16:35:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21164735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tortellini/pseuds/Tortellini
Summary: Inktober/Fictober 2019 Day 11: SnowFandom: Barry (HBO)On a random stakeout, Barry Berkman learns more about Chechnya from his (least?) favorite overly-chipper henchman. Or: Hank alludes to what he spent time in prison for. Character study/introspection.Oneshot





	Stakeout

"So, uh. What was Chechnya like?"

Hank looks up in surprise at his companion's question. It's not even that Barry's particularly cold; when he first met him, Hank thought that was the case, and if he was gonna be honest it hurt his feelings a little bit. Now though he just knows he really is that socially awkward. Not everyone can be as friendly as Hank himself is, he supposes. So he had not expected him to say anything. The surprise must show on his face because Barry tries to backtrack. 

"I just--I wondered. You don't have to tell me. We don't have to talk." 

And Barry would probably prefer not to talk while they do this stakeout, but that's definitely not what Hank wants. Hank likes to talk, even if it's just noise to fill the silence, and Barry is the opposite. But Barry's the one who spoke first. No going back now. 

"No, no! Ah, Barry," he gets a dreamy look over his face; they're lit up by just the headlights of the car that they're waiting in. "You would like it very much. Very, very cold." He makes a face at that. "Oh my god, you would not believe the time I was dared to lick a pole. My tongue! Got stuck! Just like that!"

Barry listens politely. Hank might not even notice if his eyes glaze over a little bit. He knows how to handle him: just wait out his ridiculous stories. 

"...but the people! Amazing. Like, super great. And the food, oh my god. To die for."

Russian food, Barry assumes. He's never really tried it before. And he'd say he trusts Hank but he's not entirely sure how true that is. After all, Hank's tried to kill him. Multiple times. 

"Sounds, uh. Great." He knows he doesn't sound genuine. But Hank beams at him with large eyes, so it's all right. "So did your...family get you involved with Goran?"

Hank laughs, shakes his head lightly. "No no. Prison did."

It makes sense--his arms are ripped and tattooed with what can only be called as prison tattoos. Still though, picturing this bald, bright-eyed honestly flamboyant guy in a prison in Chechnya is crazy. "Why were you in prison?"

Hank's jaw clenches for a second. Barry doesn't notice. He can hear the words that the man he considers his friend will call him. 

_Homosexual. Faggot. _Sodomite--__

"Ah... Long story, Barry."

If Barry thinks he's lying he doesn't push it. "And then you came here because of Goran and the other Chechins." Hank nods, humming cheerfully, back to his usual self. It doesn't take him that much to feel better. "You...uh, you like it? Here?"

He's making an effort. It's sweet. It warms Hank's heart. 

"Oh, I _love _it," he says, and he means it. "Everyone is so nice. Super nice, Barry. California is so sunny! So different. People are...who they want to be and that is all." He doesn't want to say what he's thinking and he thinks what he's talking about is scarily obvious. His hands are clenched nervously in his lap. 

Barry glances at him, lips pursed. 

He's thinking about something completely different. Here, he can pretend to be who he wants to be. 

Barry can pretend he's a normal working man. And Hank can pretend it's all right that he's not straight. 


End file.
